# Pope Alexander III

_Pope of the Catholic Church from 1159 to 1181_

Canonical: https://diginpl.com/people/pope-alexander-iii
Last updated: 2026-11-03

> Pope Alexander III (c. 1100/1105 – 30 August 1181), born Roland (Italian: Rolando), was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 7 September 1159 until his death in 1181.

## Quick facts

- **Born:** 1100 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q160116#P569))
- **Place of birth:** Siena ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q160116#P19))
- **Died:** 30 August 1181 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q160116#P570))
- **Place of death:** Civita Castellana ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q160116#P20))
- **Occupation:** writer; Catholic priest ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q160116#P106))
- **Education:** University of Bologna ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q160116#P69))
- **Positions held:** Pope (14 September 1159 – 30 August 1181); cardinal (since October 1150) ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q160116#P39))

## About

A native of Siena, Alexander became pope after a contested election, but had to spend much of his pontificate outside Rome while several rivals, supported by Holy Roman Emperor Frederick I Barbarossa, claimed the papacy. Alexander rejected Byzantine Emperor Manuel I Komnenos' offer to end the East–West Schism, sanctioned the Northern Crusades, and held the Third Council of the Lateran. He canonized Thomas Becket and Bernard of Clairvaux. The city of Alessandria in Piedmont is named after him.

## Questions

**When was Pope Alexander III born?**  
Pope Alexander III was born on 1100 in Siena.

**What positions has Pope Alexander III held?**  
Positions held by Pope Alexander III include: Pope (1159–1181); cardinal (since October 1150).

**Where did Pope Alexander III study?**  
Pope Alexander III was educated at University of Bologna.

## Related

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- [Pope Gregory XIII](https://diginpl.com/people/pope-gregory-xiii)
- [Pope Clement VII](https://diginpl.com/people/pope-clement-vii)
- [Pope Pius I](https://diginpl.com/people/pope-pius-i)
- [Pope Boniface I](https://diginpl.com/people/pope-boniface-i)
- [Pope Agapetus I](https://diginpl.com/people/pope-agapetus-i)
- [Pope Hormisdas](https://diginpl.com/people/pope-hormisdas)
- [Pope Innocent VIII](https://diginpl.com/people/pope-innocent-viii)
- [Pope Alexander VIII](https://diginpl.com/people/pope-alexander-viii)
- [Pope Innocent X](https://diginpl.com/people/pope-innocent-x)

## Sources

- [Wikipedia (English): Pope Alexander III](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Alexander_III) — [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
- [Wikidata item Q160116](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q160116) — [CC0 1.0](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
- [Image: B alexander III2 (cropped).jpg by Spinello Aretino (Public domain)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:B_alexander_III2_(cropped).jpg)

## Licence and attribution

Text from the Wikipedia article Pope Alexander III, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page's text is shared under the same licence. Facts from Wikidata (CC0). Image: B alexander III2 (cropped).jpg — Spinello Aretino, Public domain.

## Cite this page

"Pope Alexander III". DigiNepal. Last updated 3 November 2026. https://diginpl.com/people/pope-alexander-iii. Retrieved 6 November 2026.